Circuit-breaker.



No. 678,99l. Patented my 23, lam. H. P. BALL.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

(Application iled July 7, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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wnNEssEs: Mmm y, @a wm Llfuo., wAsHmsYoN n c No. 678,99l. v Patented luly 23, 190|. H. P. BALL.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

(Application led July 7, 1900.)

V2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

FIGS.

INVENTOR We ATTORNEY mls PETERS coA warm.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY PRICE BALL, OF NEW, YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL INCANDESCENT ARC LIGHT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 678,991, dated J'uly 23, 1901.

Application filed J'uly '7, 1900.

- amount.

My invention further consists in various details of construction,which will be described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

The object of the invention is the construction of a circuit-breaker more especially designed for use with high-tension circuits.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention as embodied in an automatic circuit-breaker designed for use with a polyphase system of distribution employing three currents of displaced phase.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the switchboard, switch, `and the electromagnetic device on the line X X of Fig. 3, and showing the hand-operating lever and electromagnetic releasing device in elevation.- Fig.H

2 is a detached view showing a vertical section of the switchboard with a modification of the hand-operating lever in elevation. a vertical section taken through the switch on the line Y Y of Fig. 1,also showing the electromagnetic device and its connections in elevation, the electric generators being diagrammatically represented with their circuit connections. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the electromagnetic releasing device, also showing the catch and its accompanying parts in elevation.

Similar numerals in the several figures indicate like parts.

In the drawings, 1 represents the switchboard. Secured to the back of the switchboard in any suitable manner is a horizontally-disposed plate 2, whichsupports a casing 3, Within which is located a second casing 4. The inner casing 4 is adapted to be filled with a body of oil or other insulating fluid 5. Arranged in openings in the plate 2 are insu- Fig. s is.`

Serial No. 22,888. (No model.)

Y lators 6, through which are carried the leading-in conductors 7 and leading-out conductors S. Depending from the plate 2 are brackets 9, which are connected at top and bottom through insulating-bars 10 11,0f wood or other suitable material. Carried on the bars 10 11 are spring-contacts 12 13. Pivoted at its ends on the bracket 9 is a cylinder 14, carrying the knife -blades 15, adapted to coact with the spring-contacts l2 13. Projecting upward from the cylinder 14 is an arm 16, carryinga pivoted block 17, adapted to move in a guide 16 in a slotted lever 19, which is pivoted to the plate 2.

. The contacts 12 13 and knife-blades 15 are separated by means of partitions 20, which depend from the plate 2, also by partitions 21, which project upward from the bottom of the casing 4, and also by disk-like partitions 22, mounted on and oscillating with the cylinder 14. These three groups of partitions `form Walls which separate the respective contacts and knife-blades, but at the same time permit circulation of the insulating Huid.

Located under the knife-blades are the plunger-springs 23. 24 represents a tensionspring connected at one end to the back of lthe switchboard and at the other end to the toggle above its pivotal point. The function of these two sets of springs will be described in referring to the operation of the device.

The various features of construction, so far as described, with the exception of the plunger and tension-springs, have been set forth with great particularity in a companion application filed simultaneously herewith,Serial No. 22,691, filed July 6, 1900, and in this application I make no claim to the speciic features of construction of the switch mechanism. The switch mechanism, as described, is adapted to transmit three currents. Manifestly the switch mechanism may be arranged to transmit one or more currents.

Mounted on the front of the switchboard is a bracket 25, to which is pivoted the handoperated lever 26 or 26, The type shown in Fig. 2 is the form which I employ when the mechanism is within easy reach on the switchboard. In case the mechanism is situated high on the switchboard I use the type shown in Fig. 1. The hand-operated lever consists,

IOO

essentially, of the bars 27, pivoted to the bracket 25 at 28. In Fig. 2 the handle 29 is connected to the outer end of the bars 27. In Fig. l the handle is connected to a supplemental bar 27, pivoted in a supplemental bracket 25a, and the bars 27 and bar 27a connected through a rod 27". Projecting from the lower part of the bracket 25 is a horizontal arm 30, the end of which is turned upward and inward and carries an elastic buffer 3l on its inner end. Pivoted to the horizontal arm at 32 are the bars 33. The upper ends of these bars are pivoted at 34 to the connectingrod 35. The connecting-rod is pivotally connected at its inner end to the upper end of the slotted lever 19 and its outer end to the shaped plate 3G. The plate 36 is Xedly connected at its end 37 to the plates 27, and its end 37 carries a roller 38, which when the hand-lever is elevated takes under the latch 40, pivoted at 4l to the bracket 25. Behind the latch 40 is a spring 42, which pushes the latch forward and downward. Mounted in the bracket 43, on the front of the switchboard, is an electromagnet 44, carrying within it an armature 45. Located above the armature and adapted to move in a guide within the magnet is a vertically-acting pin 46, the head of which is located under a pivoted horizontal bar 47.

It will be readily understood that when the armature 45 is energized it will move upward and strike upon the pin 4G, which in turn will lift the pivoted horizontal bar 47 and latch 40; further, that, owing to the peculiar arrangement of the bars which collectively form the hand-operated lever, as the handle of the lever is raised the power exerted to push the connecting-rod inwardly and to close the switch will be gradually increased, and that when thel parts have reached the position shown in Fig. l there is almost a dead thrust upon the connecting-rod 35 and but slight forward pressure exerted by the roller 38 upon the under part of the latch 40. Consequently when the latch is released the springs 23 24 are in a condition to respectively exert an upward push upon the knife-blades and their mountings and a forward pull upon the lever 19, and thus cause them to leave the spring-contacts and break the circuits.

48 represents an electromagnet, of which in the present case there are two, each carrying an armature 49. The lower end of the armature rests upon the end of the screw 50, which extends outside of the tubular casing in which the armature is located and moved.

The object of this screw is to determine the,

position of the armature in the magnet. Mounted in the upper end of the magnet is a vertically-moving pin 5l. Arranged over the pin 5l and pivoted in a bracket secured to the back of the switchboard is an arm carrying at its upper end a pair of springmounted carbon-contacts 53, which carboncontacts are adapted to coact with a pair of corresponding but separate spring-mounted carbon-contacts 54, secured to the back of the switchboard. Similar contacts are arranged over each electromagnet.

Referring now to Fig. 3, where the circuit connections are diagrammetically represented, 55 represents a polyphase generator, in the present case adapted to transmit three currents of different phase. Leading from the generator are three conductors A, B, and C. The conductors A and B are carried through the opposite magnets 48, and thence to the contacts, respectively, on the right and left of the switch mechanism. The conductor C is not carried through the magnets, but is connected directly to the central contact of the switch mechanism. The conductors A,

B, and C are the leading-in conductors to the i switch and correspond to the conductors marked 7 in Fig. l.

Located in convenient proximity to the circuit-breaker as a whole is a direct-currentl generator 56. A battery or other source of electricity may be employed in place of the generator. This generator is connected to the releasing-magnet 45 and to the contacts 54 through the conductors E' F. The respective pairs of contacts 54 over each magnet are connected to the conductors E F in multiple arc.

The operation of the device is as follows: In case of an overload upon the conductors A, B, and C the magnet or magnets 48 will attract their armature or armatures and close the circuit or circuits through the conductors E 'and F, thereby causing the releasing-magnet 45 to be energized by the current from the generator 56 and to attract its armature, thereby lifting and releasing the latch 40, which will permit the springs 23 and 24 of the switch mechanism to act and break the circuit or circuits in the switch mechanism between the springcontacts 12 13 and the knife-blades l5.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the employment with an electromagnetic device or devices responsive to an increase in current in the circuit or circuits in which said device or devices are used of the particular form of switch mechanism or the particular type of electromagnetic releasing device herein described, as it is evident that other forms of switch mechanism or releasing device may be substituted without in any wise departing from the intent of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. An automatic circuit-breaker comprising a pair of electromagnets in circuit with two conductors of a three-phase system., a spring-switch having three paths through it, a separate source of electric energy, an electromagnetic releasing device in circuit with said separate source of energy, and means actuated by the electromagnets to close circuit through said releasing device.

2. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of IOO IIO

the bracket 25, bars 27, bars 33, shaped plate 36, connecting-rod 35, and the interposed mechanism between the connecting-rod and switch.

3. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of the hand-operated lever, the connecting-rod, the interposed pivoted bars and shaped plate, and means for locking said lever in its upper position.

4. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of the hand-operated lever, the connecting-rod,

the interposed bars and shaped plate, the locking device for the lever in its upper position, and the electromagnetic means for lifting the locking mechanism and releasing the lever.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY PRICE BALL. Witnesses:

LoUIs WINTNER, LEWIs J. DooLITTLE. 

